Game Designer, Technical (Contingent)

naughtydog

United States, Santa Monica, CA · United States · Canada

Posted Jun 3, 2026

Temporary
Hybrid
Naughty Dog

Job description

This position is for temporary engagement through our staffing partner, Yoh Enterprise Solutions. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States for this position.

This is a hybrid / onsite position.

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5 . We're also proud to say that The Last of Us Part I is now available for the first time on PC. Currently, we’re busy at the kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and The Last of Us Part II Remastered for PC and we'd love to find talented individuals to join us.

Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.

What you will do:

Prototyping, implementing, and owning gameplay scenarios, narrative‬ sequences, interactive objects, AI behaviors, and other mechanics and‬ systems‬.
Communicating with animation, programming, and art departments to‬ effectively produce the assets and code support required for the areas‬ you’re owning‬.
Collaborating closely with lead designers and directors to effectively act‬ on feedback and quickly iterate‬.

What skills will you use:

2+ years of industry experience in Technical Design for games‬
Strong programming ability (Computer Science undergraduate degree‬
‭ preferred)‬
Understanding of narrative principles and how to convey emotion‬ through gameplay‬
Proficiency in 3D math‬
Fluent in C++, C#, Lua, or other text-based scripting language‬
Self-starter with excellent communication and teamwork skills‬

‭

Bonus Skills‬

‬‭Experience developing third-person action games‬
Experience making improvements to tools and workflows‬
‬‭Experience with the following areas of design‬
- Behavior Trees‬
- Melee‬
- Combat Systems‬
- Enemy & boss design‬

‭

‭Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression, and gender reassignment), race (including color, nationality, ethnic, national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.

We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees, and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.

#LI-SP3

At SIE, working with our partners, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location.

Please note that the individual base pay range may vary based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location.

In addition, this role is eligible for benefit offerings that include medical, dental, and vision. Click here to learn more.

The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below, this is an hourly rate.

$56.70—$65 USD

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